Vehicle light



y 1961 c. MOTTER 2,992,322

VEHICLE LIGHT Filed Jan. 16, 1958 Char/es Mar/er 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,992,322 VEHICLE LIGHT 7 Charles Motter, Gardena,Calif. (1036 W. 88th St., Los 'Angeles 44, Calif.) Filed Jan. 16, 1958,Ser. No. 709,240 1 Claim. (Cl. 240--,44.2)

The present invention generally relates to a vehicle light and moreparticularly to a light in which a reflector is provided in associationwith a light bulb for projecting a beam of light forwardly of thevehicle.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a vehiclelight in which is incorporated structural means for varying therelationship of the light and the reflector by moving the bulb inwardlyand outwardly in relation to the reflective surface of the reflector.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lightin accordance with the preceding object in which the means for adjustingthe position of the bulb is readily accessible and provided with meansfor retaining the bulb in adjusted position.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vehiclelight which is extremely simple in construction, easy to adjust, welladapted for its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the vehicle light of the presentinvention with portions thereof being shown in elevation forillustrating the relationship of the elements of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating furtherdetails of the bulb ad-. justing and supporting mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is ,a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a construction used when nocasing is employed.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generallydesignates the vehicle light of the present invention. The vehicle lightincludes a reflector 12 which may be of the parabolic type and providedwith a reflective surface on the inner surface thereof. The reflector 12is provided with an inturned peripheral flange 14, a sealing gasket 18against the outer surface of the flange 14 and a lens 20 engaging theouter surface of the seal '18. A retaining ring 22 engages the outersurface of the lens 20 and the ring 22 is detachably secured to a casingor housing 24 which encloses the reflector 12 and other mechanismsdescribed hereinafter;

Suitable fastening means 26 is provided for retaining the reflector,seal, lens and ring 22 in position and fastening means 28 is providedfor retaining the flange and the other elements attached thereto inproper relationship to the casing 24.

The reflector 12 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 30therein and secured to the rear or inner surface of the reflector 12 isa shade box 32 which may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the rearsurface of the reflector 12. The shade box may be of any shape construction but is preferably cylindrical and provided with a wall 34 atthe rear thereof with the wall 34 having an 2 992322 Patented July 11,1961 aperture 36 therein. Extending through the aperture 36 is an outersleeve or tubular member 38 that is provided with a screw threaded innerend portion 40 and a screw threaded outer end portion 42. Threaded onthe screw threaded portion 40 is a pair of nuts 44 which engage Vopposite surfaces of the wall 34 for locking the outer sleeve 38 inlongitudinally adjusted position in relation to the wall 34, the shadebox 32 and the reflector 12. The casing 24 is provided with an aperture46 which receives the rear threaded end 42 of the outer sleeve 48. Abushing type nut 48 is inserted in engagement with the threaded portion42 and includes an internally and externally threaded portion 50extending through the aperture 46 and receiving a clamp nut 52 inengagement with the inner surface of the casing 24 in surroundingrelation to the periphery of the opening 46, thus rigidly mounting theouter sleeve 38 in longitudinally adjusted position.

Longitudinally slidably disposed in the outer sleeve 38 is an innersleeve or tubular member 54. The inner end of the inner sleeve 54projects through the opening 30 in the reflector 12 and is provided witha bayonet slot construction 56 for receiving diametrically opposedprojecting lugs 58 on the base 60 of the light bulb 62, thus detachablymounting the base of the light bulb in the inner sleeve 54. The base ofthe light bulb 60 is provided with the usual central contact member 64which is engaged with a contact member 66 connected to an electricalconductor 68. The electrical conductor 68 ex tends through and iscarried by a movable plate 70 which engages one end of a compressioncoil spring 72 which has the other end thereof in abutting engagement toa stationary plate 74 in the inner tubular member 54 and which may besecured thereto as by welding or the like whereby the spring 72 willurge the contact 66 into engagement with the contact 64 for energizingthe light bulb 62 when the electrical conductor 68 is connected to asource of electrical energy and the circuit is completed by a suitableswitch and through the usual ground back to the vehicle body. Rearwardlyof the wall 74, the inner sleeve 54 and the outer sleeve 38 both areprovided with an elongated slot designated by the numeral 76 whichpermits passage of the electrical conductor 68 outwardly of the sleevesfor attachment to a source of electrical energy. In order to retain theslot 76 in alignment and in order to prevent relative rotation betweensleeves 38 and 54, a pair of diametrically opposed screws 78 arethreaded into the outer sleeve 38 and are provided with reduced innerend portions 80 which are slidably received within slots 82 in the innersleeve 54 thus guiding the sliding movement of the inner sleeve 54 andlimiting the sliding movement of the inner sleeve 54 thus assuring thatno shearing action will occur on the conductor 68.

The rear endof the inner sleeve 54 is. provided with a wall 84 having acentral aperture 86 therein with the aperture having diametricallyopposed notches or slots 88 therein for receiving diametrically opposedprojections 90 formed integral with an elongated externally threadedadjustment bolt 92 that is provided with a head 94 engaged against theinner surface of the wall 84 and extending through the aperture 86.

The end of the outer sleeve 38 is provided with a wall 96 having acentral aperture 98 therein receiving an elongated cylindrical member100 which is in the form of a nut and provided with an internallythreaded socket 102 screw threadedly engaged with the bolt 92. Theelongated cylindrical member 100 is provided with an enlarged headed end104 in engagement with the outer surface of the wall 96. A coilcompression spring 106 is disposed between the inner surface of the wall96 and the outer surface of the wall 84 thus urging the inner sleeve 54inwardly in relation to the outer sleeve 38. By rotation of the nut orknob 104, the inner sleeve 54 may be moved longitudinally in relation tothe outer sleeve 38 thus moving the bulb 62 in relation to the reflector12 thus varying the characteristics of the light beam provided by thereflector 12 by varying the relationship between the bulb 62 and thefocal point of the reflector 12. The knob 104 is provided with a passage108 which may be employed for receiving oil for lubricating the threadedconnection between the bolt 92 and cylindrical member 100.

A protective cap 110 is provided in overlying and enclosing relation tothe adjustment knob 104 and the cap 110 is secured to the casing 24 bysuitable screw threaded fasteners 112 thus protecting the cap andpreventing adjustment thereof except by authorized persons skilled inthis type of adjustment. In FIGURE there is illustrated a cover cup 114which is attached to wall 34 by fasteners 116 extending through flange118 thereby holding the flange 118 against the end of the shade box 32.This construction is employed when the casing 24is omitted such as whenthe device is used as a floodlight. The cup 114 is provided with a slot120 for receiving wire 68 and a hole 122 on top and on bottom forreceiving a supporting pipe. In this construction the fasteners 112secure the cap 110 directly to an inturned flange on the end of the cup114. Lock washers may be provided Where deemed desirable in connectionwith the clamp nuts 44 or 52 for securely retaining these elements inposition and by adjusting the bulb in relation to the reflector, thelight may project a dark spot on the wall and it provides a no-glarelight and provides a highly novel light which may be effectivelyemployed during foggy nights.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is'as follows:

A vehicle light comprising a reflector having a concave reflectorsurface and a central opening, said reflector having an inturned flangeat the forward edge thereof, a transparent panel engaged with the flangein sealed relation, a hollow box mounted on the rear surface of saidreflector, said box including a peripheral wall enclosing the opening inthe reflector, an annular flange extending inwardly from the end of thebox remote fromthe reflector and defining an opening in alignment withthe opening in the reflector, an outer sleeve extending through theannular flange on the box, means adjustably interconnecting the outersleeve and said flange whereby the outer sleeve will be aligned with theopening in the reflector, one end of said outer sleeve terminatingWithin said hollow box and the other end extending remotely therefrom,an inner sleeve slidably received in the outer sleeve and having anexternal diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of theouter sleeve, said inner sleeve having one end portion disposed withinthe opening in the reflector, the other end portion of the inner sleeveterminating within the outer sleeve intermediate the annular flange andsaid other end of the outer sleeve, a light bulb detachably mounted onthe end portion of the inner sleeve disposed within the opening in thereflector, a casing enclosing the rear of the reflector and said box,the forward edge of said casing having a flange connected thereto, saidflange engaging the outer surface of the transparent panel and beingattached to the inwardly extending flange on the reflector therebymounting the reflector in the casing, said other end of said outersleeve extending through the casing, means adjustably interconnectingthe casing and said other end of the outer sleeve, said inner sleevehaving a longitudinal slot therein, said outersleeve having an inwardlyextending pin slidably received in the slot for enabling longitudinalsliding movement of the inner sleeve'in relation to the outer sleeve butpreventing relative rotational moveunent between the sleeves, the otherend of said outer sleeve terminating in an inwardly extending annularflange, the end of the inner sleeve remote from theend received withinthe reflector opening being provided with an in- 'wardly extendingannular flange, a coil spring disposed between the flange on the innersleeve and the flange on the outer sleeve for urging the inner'sleevelongitudinally of the outer sleeve, a threaded stud rigidly connectedwith the flange on the inner sleeve and extending longitudinally towardsthe flange 0n the outer sleeve, an internally threaded hollow memberextending through the flange on the outer sleeve and including anenlarged outer end disposed exteriorly of thezflange on the outer sleevefor compressing the spring and pulling the inner sleeve away from thereflector or allowing the spring to move the inner sleeve towards thereflector thus varying the position of the light bulb in relation to thefocal center of the reflector, said enlarged end on the internallythreaded member being in the form of a knob for adjusting the positionof the light bulb, a cap enclosing said knob and connected with thecasing peripherally of the knob to prevent unauthorized adjustment ofthe knob and the light bulb.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,151,249 Douglas Aug. 24, 1915 1,201,405 Welles Oct. 17, 1916 1,602,898Godley Oct. 12, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,634 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1910of 1909 203,938 Great Britain Sept. 20, 1923

